The SNP MP for Glasgow South had asked the Prime Minister, in a written parliamentary question, if she planned to set up a judge led inquiry to investigate alleged fraud in the EU referendum, only to then receive a letter from the Prime Minister’s office that stated the question had been passed over to the Cabinet Office for answering instead.

The written question came following Vote Leave’s decision to drop its appeal against a £61,000 fine for electoral offences, which was imposed on them by the Electoral Commission. Last year, the Commission found that Vote Leave broke legal spending limits during the Brexit referendum.

Stewart McDonald MP said:

“Given the electoral offences that hang over the Leave campaign, it is only right that we ask the Prime Minister to – at the very least - set up a judge-led public inquiry on the process and outcome of the 2016 EU referendum.

“However, it appears she doesn’t want to be the one to answer that question and is clearly hiding behind her Cabinet colleagues by shuffling my question over to the Cabinet Office instead.

“It is crucial to determine whether this Government is proceeding on the basis of a fraudulent campaign and a fraudulent result, which can only be resolved by revoking Article 50 and ensuring those who took part in this alleged fraud are held to account.”